Saving Grace *Body Guard series*

Saving Grace: Chapter 10 Pt 2

"Grace.." Terrell's voice faded out. I look over at him. His face was serious, no hint of anything other than a sort of sadness I have not ever seen in his eyes before other than when he found  me. I close my eyes feeling my cheeks heat up and tears stream from my eyes.

"Grace your father passed away. I was trying to find you when Max from Italy showed up at the door with your fathers attorney. I signed your Fathers will but there's more to tell you. I just don't want to overwhelm you with all of that yet. You just got out of the hospital. How about we go back to my house and you can relax and then I'll tell you everything?" I nod my head listening to his voice with my eyes closed.

"Wait, did you say back to your house? Since when did you have a house?" I ask with my eyes shooting open. I look over at him feeling shocked.

He laughs and then responds, "Where do you think I was when I wasn't with you? At night I went back to my house and just made sure I was back by the time you woke up. Lucky for me, you don't wake up early."

" So you're telling me that at nineteen you have your own house?" I ask and he starts laughing loudly holding his stomach.

Why is he laughing? I didn't say anything funny and I'm still confused.

He stops seeing the confusion on my face. " Honey you're nineteen, we're not the same age. I am twenty three. And actually it was your father that helped me get the house I have now." I smile.

My father was a good man. I can't believe he's gone.

"So I get to see where you live? Why aren't we going back to my house?"

"I mean I can take you there but I didn't know if it would be too soon.."

A flashback comes to mind of getting out of the pool and then having an arm wrap around my waist and one hold a cloth covering my nose and mouth.

I shake my head as I swallow hard. "You're right. I don't want to go back there. But what am I going to do about my clothes?" Terrell is watching the road as he pulls out of the parking lot. 

" We can have Max pick up your clothes. You can stay with me until you're comfortable going back home. "

"T? What's going to happen to me? Father is gone and my mom's been gone."

He draws a deep breath, " Let me get us back to my house and then I'll tell you everything. Trust me it's a lot.." His voice trails off.

"Ok, T" I say leaning back into my seat, laying my head back on the head rest, closing my eyes.

I must have dozed off because I feel Terrell lightly rubbing my arm waking me up. I sit up wiping my mouth with the back of my hand.

"Sorry I didn't realize I fell asleep."  I mumble while unbuckling my seatbelt.

"Babe if you're tired then sleep. You have nothing to apologize for, and you know you're safe with me." Terrell says as he unbuckles himself opening his door, sliding out then closing the door. He walks around the front of the car and opens my door.

"T I-" He scoops me up into his arms. I cannot help the giggle that escapes my lips. He smiles as he walks  towards the giant entrance. I look over his shoulder seeing a gated entrance that we must have gotten through when I was asleep. I hear beeping so I turn back to see Terrell finishing the passcode that unlocks the front door with a click.

I tuck my head into the crook of his neck, lightly leaving a tender kiss on his skin. He opens the door stepping in, then closes the door with his foot. I see a spiral staircase with a balcony that looks over a black glass tile floor living room with a white marble fireplace. There were two white couches facing each other across from the fireplace. I saw a familiar pink fluffy blanket draped over the back of one couch. He heads towards the couches setting me down beside the blanket. I run my fingers over the soft velvet fabric.

"I snagged this off of your bed and brought it here when they told me they found your location. I wanted to bring you to my home and for you to have some sort of familiarity." I pull him down by his hands, he kneels down before me on the floor. My hands move up to his cheeks, pulling him into me, kissing him softly. After a few seconds he begins to softly return the kiss.

I pull away stroking his cheek, and smiling looking him in his eyes. He smiles looking into my eyes.

"Terrell whatever happens, I don't want to lose you.." I say my voice is fragile and soft.

"I'm happy you say that because I have to show you something." He says as he gets up from the floor walking over to the fireplace pressing a button and the wall above the mantle moving in a clockwise rotation bringing a tv out. He grabs the remote off the mantle turning the TV on.

I could see a video on the screen that just said the date:  August 15th 2020.

He hit play and I saw my father smiling into the camera. I start crying..

"My daughter is the only thing that matters to me. I never got the chance to tell you how much.." He begins to get choked up and I only cry harder. Terrell sits beside me holding me. " I never got the chance to tell her how much I love her or how proud that I am of her. And I was waiting for her eighteenth birthday to finally tell her the truth about her mother. I told her when she was very little that her mother, Janise, died in a car crash. Because how do you tell a four year old little girl with bright blue dough eyes that her mother was murdered in cold blood on a drug cartel bust? So I never did. I know if I were to tell her she'd be mad at me for lying to her, but I only did it to protect her." I laugh while wiping my tears from my eyes. I look up at Terrell who has glassy eyes. I turn my eyes back to the tv. " Also in the event that this video makes it to you, I need one last thing from you." He holds up a piece of paper and moves it closer to the camera so that it is in focus. " Terrell I know it's a lot to ask for, but the last thing I need from you is your commitment to keeping my daughter safe for the rest of your life. The only way either of you will get the money or inherit anything from my will is if you two marry. I know your heart, Terrell, and I know my daughter. You two belong together. Trust me on this." Father  says as he lays the paper on the desk and signs it right then and there. "After you two marry this is all you'll need to know about running and maintaining the mafia, and all the numbers and contacts and who they are and their specialty...." I turn and look at Terrell who pauses the video, then looks at me.

"He wants us to marry?" I say slowly. He nods his head but remains quiet. Terrell reaches on the end table and grabs a folder. He hands it to me. I take it and open it up, placing the folder on my lap. I look through it, it has Father's will, the marriage license, and his death certificate. I start to cry seeing the death certificate. I trace my fingers over his name.

"T, will they have a funeral for him?" I ask looking up at him.

"Yes. Everything was put on a momentary pause to find you, now that we have you, I have the men planning it. We just have a couple details to be sorted out regarding how you want the funeral to go.. Whether you want it private or public where all his friends and workers can come. What kind of flowers and decor you want, whether you want just a celebration of life and have him cremated or whether you want him buried and coffin details..." His voice  trails off as I start to cry harder. He holds me, kissing me on the forehead. " Baby I know this is all so much, but I'm here for you no matter what."

" Can we just go take a nap?" He nods his head and scoops me up, my head on his shoulder. He walks towards the staircase carrying me with ease up the steps and towards the door on the end. He opens it and I see a beautiful white room, with a giant chocolate colored sleigh bed. He closes the door with his heel, carrying me to the bed. He pulls the covers back then slides in. He walks around and gets in, pulling me to him and we just lay in silence. Listening to each other's heartbeats. I close my eyes and my breathing steadies, then I hear Terrell whisper, "I love you, Grace."

I love you too, Terrell.